Vegan Cooking with TLC

This is one of the most basic salads you can make. It's easy. The ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores. It's nutritious. I'm not a fan of lettuce as I've said many times before, but this combination of greens is one of my favorites. You can add to this or remove something. It makes a nice foundation for building other salads. It also works with a variety of salad dressings . Basic Three Green Salad 4 leaves chard 4 leaves kale 1 cup spinach 1 cucumber  1 large tomato Chop chard, kale, and spinach into small pieces. Place in bowl . Chop cucumber into small pieces. Add to bowl. Chop tomato into small pieces. Add to bowl. Mix together. Add desired dressing. Note: I use organic ingredients whenever possible.

This week I'm sharing another simple yet tasty salad dressing that will work on a variety of salads. This Orange Miso Dressing is light and works well when seeking a dressing that doesn't overwhelm the salad. Orange Miso Dressing 1 orange 1 tablespoon miso 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon flax seed 1 tablespoon hemp seed 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast Juice the orange. Add orange juice to a small bowl. Add miso, rice vinegar, flax seed, hemp seed, and nutritional yeast. Using an immersion blender , blend together until smooth. Add to salad.

I'm sharing another simple salad dressing, Orange Avocado Salad Dressing , this week. This salad dressing works well with most salads. A salad dressing perks up greens and offers an opportunity to add a few more nutrients to one's diet. Orange Avocado Salad Dressing 1 clove garlic ¼ inch fresh ginger 1 orange 1 avocado 2 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon flax seed 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast Mince garlic and ginger using a zester . Place in a small bowl. Juice the orange. Add to bowl with garlic and ginger. Cut avocado in half. Remove seed. Scoop insides into bowl. Add golden balsamic vinegar, flax seeds, and nutritional yeast. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth and thick. Add to salad.

Salad is a staple in my house. It's a great way to get one's daily servings of greens and cruciferous vegetables. Using a different salad dressing can make the same old salad seem like an entirely new dish. Salad dressings are really very easy to make. I used to find them intimidating until I started making them. Orange Hazelnut Balsamic Salad Dressing *   1 orange 1-2 garlic cloves ¼ inch piece of ginger 2 Tablespoons hazelnut pulp** 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar   Juice the orange. Grate the garlic and ginger using a zester . Place garlic and ginger in a small bowl or measuring cup . Add orange juice. Add hazelnut pulp. Whisk together. Add balsamic vinegar. Whisk together until relatively smooth. Add to salad. * This dressing works well with a wide variety of salads. ** You can substitute hazelnut butter for the hazelnut pulp if you want. I find this a nice way to use the pulp left over when I make hazelnut milk . Note: I use organic ingredients